Group Influences on
Consumer Behavior
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Types of Groups
A group is defined as two or more individuals who share a set of norms, values, or beliefs, and have certain interdependent relationships
A reference group is any group that influences behavior. Reference groups can be defined by:
Membership in the group
Attraction or association with the group
Type of contact with the group
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
Types
Types of of Groups
Groups
Uncategorized
Membership
Attraction
Positive
(associative)
Yes
(membership)
Negative
(dissociative)
Purchasers
(parents)
No
(nonmembership)
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Contact
Frequent
(primary associative)
Limited
(secondary associative)
Frequent
(primary dissociative)
Limited
(secondary dissociative)
Positive
(aspiration)
Desired
(aspiration)
Negative
(dissociative)
Avoided
(dissociative)
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Reference
Reference Groups
Groups Change
Change as as the the Situation
Situation Changes
Changes
Co-workers at weekend job Hometown friends Immediate family Individual
Friends from apartment complex
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Reference group influencing behavior at
Thanksgiving Day dinner celebration
Intramural basketball team
Consumer behavior classmates
Reference group influencing behavior at
“After the final exam” celebration © The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Reference Group Influence
Informational influence occurs when an individual uses the behaviors and opinions of others as useful information. Normative (utilitarian) influence occurs when an individual fulfills group expectations to gain a reward or avoid a sanction.
Identification influence occurs when individual have internalized the group’s values and norms, such that behavior is influenced without hope of reward or fear of sanction.
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
Three
Three Types
Types of of Group
Group Influence
Influence
Conformity
Normative influence
Informational influence
Identification influence
High
High
High
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Low
Low
Low
Degree of reward or sanction from group
Importance of information provided by group Degree to which group attitudes/values guide individual attitudes/values
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Consumption
Consumption Situations
Situations and and Reference
Reference Group
Group Influences
Influences
Situation
Behavioral response
A friend mentions that
Brooks Brothers has a good selection of suits.
Needing a new suit, Tim visits a Brooks Brothers store. At several friends’ home,
Maxwell House coffee is served. Tim decides to give
Maxwell House a try.
The best skier in the group uses TRAK skis.
Tim buys a set of TRAK skis. Irwin/McGraw-Hill
Type of influence
Informational
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Consumption
Consumption Situations
Situations and and Reference
Reference Group
Group Influences
Influences
Situation
Behavioral response
Two neighbors joke about
Tim’s car being dirty.
Tim washes and waxes his car.
Tim notices that his friends buy premium beers though he can’t taste the difference.
For parties, but not for home use, Tim buys premium beers.
An ad stresses that “Even your friends won’t tell you” if you have bad breath — they will just ignore you.
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Type of influence
Normative
Tim buys the recommended mouthwash.
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Consumption
Consumption Situations
Situations and and Reference
Reference Group
Group Influences
Influences
Situation
Over time, Tim notices that successful executives dress conservatively.
Tim sees an ad showing
“smart young people on the way up” serving
Redondo.
Many of Tim’s friends regularly consume health foods. Irwin/McGraw-Hill
Behavioral response
Type of influence
Tim believes that a conservative image is appropriate for executives and develops a conservative wardrobe.
Tim begins to serve
Redondo.
Identification
Tim decides that health foods are good for you and begins to consume them regularly.
© The